328 - A sculpture carved from white jade with a natural patina resulting from aging, depicting the Buddha Maitreya (天宫弥勒佛). The figure is shown seated in a meditative posture on a double lotus-shaped base in the padmāsana position. The hands form symbolic gestures: the right hand displays the vitarka mudrā (gesture of teaching), while the left hand rests on the lap in a serene posture.

A sculpture carved from white jade with a natural patina resulting from aging, depicting the Buddha Maitreya (天宫弥勒佛). The figure is shown seated in a meditative posture on a double lotus-shaped base in the padmāsana position. The hands form symbolic gestures: the right hand displays the vitarka mudrā (gesture of teaching), while the left hand rests on the lap in a serene posture. The body is adorned with jewelry and necklaces, and the head is crowned with a tall, five-pointed diadem decorated with set semiprecious stones. On either side of the torso, two lotus flowers emerge from a vegetal composition of undulating stems that frames the figure and rises to form a complex openwork mandorla. The mandorla is decorated with scrollwork, floral elements, and a Dharma wheel (dharmachakra) at its apex, a symbol of Buddhist teaching. The carving displays delicate and refined craftsmanship, particularly in the details of the face and the folds of the robe, which reinforces its devotional or ritual nature. Han Dynasty (618–906) or later. Dimensions: 31.5 × 8.2 × 15.5 cm Weight: 2,816 g